Why Do We Teach?

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Pebble Box by Rauni Higson, an example of metalwork as taught in the course Mirrored Forms co-taught with Victoria Lansford
Pebble Box by Rauni Higson, an example of Eastern repoussé combined with the hydraulic press, from the Mirrored Forms course co-taught with Victoria Lansford

“I’ve been so fortunate in the things that I’ve learned from really amazing people, and I want to be able to honor their generosity in teaching me by also keeping the chain going basically […] I don’t want anything in that to be a full stop and a mystery and a ‘Well, we can’t ask her now, she’s dead,’ situation. I want to be used up and for all of the sparks to have lit somebody else’s fire.
I don’t want any of it to be a full stop with me.”

– Rauni Higson MBE, from Legacy & Lineage – The passing of Skills & Originality – Rauni Higson & Victoria Lansford

As our Mirrored Forms for Jewelry, Vessels, Boxes, and More course is starting soon, I wanted to share a conversation Rauni and I had in her Northern Wales studio about why teaching the techniques we’ve pioneered matters so deeply to us.
It might have been freezing outside, but we were fired up to explore how sharing our methods helps other metalsmiths push their creative boundaries — and why we’re so committed to ensuring the processes we’ve developed continue to thrive in the hands of new generations of makers.
Whether you’re a maker, historian, curator, or enthusiast, watch our conversation to see why these techniques are so close to our hearts — and why we can’t wait to share them with you.

“It’s the connecting of the dots and the things we can combine that create original work that hasn’t been done before, even when it has the feel of something much older.”

– Victoria Lansford, from Legacy & Lineage – The passing of Skills & Originality – Rauni Higson & Victoria Lansford

Femina by Victoria Lansford – Eastern repoussé and hydraulic press perfume bottle, in-progress
Femina by Victoria Lansford – perfume bottle, in-progress, another example of Eastern repoussé combined with the hydraulic press, from the Mirrored Forms course co-taught with Rauni Higson

I’ve been asked countless times in my Eastern Repoussé courses how to combine the process with silhouette dies in the hydraulic press. Until now, Rauni was the only person who ever took me up on experimenting with it!

That’s about to change. Drawing on our experience with how this hybrid process works across multiple types of projects — and our combined 66+ years of forging, forming, and fabricating metal — we’ll show you how to create multiples that can be joined into nearly anything. The two techniques blend seamlessly in ways that neither could achieve alone.

Our Mirrored Forms course will not be repeated next year, making this a rare opportunity to explore these groundbreaking techniques with us. Reserve your place now and be part of a truly one-of-a-kind experience.

Pebble Box by Rauni Higson, an example of metalwork as taught in the course Mirrored Forms co-taught with Victoria Lansford - shown open with its nest of felted wool to hold and protect the halves of the split pebble
Pebble Box by Rauni Higson, shown open with its nest of felted wool to hold and protect the halves of the split pebble

“Some of the best fun I’ve had in my life and some of the most engaging and satisfying experiences that feel meaningful to me have been learning things, interesting things in metalsmithing…”

– Rauni Higson, MBE, from Legacy & Lineage – The passing of Skills & Originality – Rauni Higson & Victoria Lansford

  • Reserve your place now!